


Say Something

by thathipsterniall



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-28
Updated: 2016-07-28
Packaged: 2018-07-27 09:28:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7612804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thathipsterniall/pseuds/thathipsterniall





	Say Something

Louis is still learning how to love.

He may know how to be passionate, kind, caring, and humble, but he still hasn’t learned how to love. He could blame it all on his past relationships, or even on his family life growing up. What he actually needs to blame it on is himself. 

Simple as that.

He doesn’t know how to love because he’s scared. He’s scared of the unknown and that warm fuzzy feeling he gets when he’s with the person he  _ thinks _ he wants to spend the rest of his life with. The unknown and that warm fuzzy feeling both go hand in hand because that warm fuzzy feeling makes Louis think about the future and well, it’s unknown. 

Louis isn’t sure why he’s so scared of the unknown. It’s probably because of the same reason he’s scared of space. Who knows what the hell is actually living up there and Louis for one does not want to be the first one to find out. Aliens freak him out. Aliens and clowns. Why do they need to have so much makeup and what do they even really look like under all that stuff…

Sorry, back to his love life. 

It’s kind of non-existent right now. It has been for roughly ten months and Louis does not see that changing any time soon. It’s almost like everyone in his small town knows he sucks with love, so they run away whenever one of them catches the feels. He doesn’t think it happens exactly like that since everyone knows everyone so it’s hard to catch feels for someone you’ve known since you both were in diapers. 

However, it does happen. It happened to two of his best friends. The two of them, Liam and Zayn, had known each other since before diapers (not as creepy sounding as you think) and they ended up falling for one another close to two years ago. Louis has been friends with Zayn since they were actually in diapers and he’s known Liam since Elementary school. Statistically, Liam should have fallen in love with Louis since they didn’t know each other until after they were potty-trained. Unfortunately, Liam and Louis have nothing in common and Liam kind of pisses Louis off sometimes, so it never would have actually worked out.

So see, it does happen. 

It just won’t happen to Louis because Louis is afraid and because of that, he will never fall in love. 

**

“Tosser,” Louis spits at Zayn, who, by the way, is currently doubled over in a fit of giggles only little three year old girls should be allowed to make. 

“It’s just some paint, Lou.” Zayn giggles some more making the crinkles beside his eyes appear and the tip of his tongue stick out between his top and bottom teeth. 

“Exactly. Paint! If I end up going out tonight I’m going to have to shower or everyone is going to think I’m a filthy, disgusting-“

“Watch it,” Zayn snaps. “I go out with paint all over me all the time and we are going out,” he jerks his arm at Louis again, just to scare him, and it sends Louis running all the way to the other side of the studio.

“Yeah, but you’re an artist. It’s expected.” Louis breathes normally again when he realized Zayn was only joking. He leans back against the wall behind him and crosses his arms at his best friend. 

“Not everyone knows that you twat.”

“Language!” Louis throws his hands in the air.

“You seriously just called me a ‘tosser’ not two seconds ago, so don’t even start that crap with me, Tommo.” 

Louis messes with the glob of paint that is already drying into his fringe. The fringe he works so hard on every morning and perfects before walking out the door. Louis isn’t vain. He just cares about his appearance because he cares about what other people think of him. He’s self-conscious. It’s his best and worst trait. Despite his constant fear that someone is judging him, Louis still knows deep down he looks decent because of how much time he spends perfecting his appearance. 

When he pulls his hand down from his hair to examine his fingers, a towel lands at his feet. He picks it up and rubs off the small amount of paint that transferred from his fringe to his fingers, a stain left in its place.  

“It’ll be dried by the time we get to the bar, mate. No worries.”

No worries. Says the boy who doesn’t have a glob of neon green paint stuck in his hair, but all over his arms and hands. Louis even thinks there’s a little drop on Zayn’s cheekbone, but he doesn’t care. Zayn can easily wash the stuff off his body, but Louis can’t because it will ruin his hair. His anxiety spikes because, fuck Zayn, he now has to go out in public looking like a child who doesn’t care to wash his art class mishaps off his body before going home on the bus. 

The lights shut off in the studio with Louis still leant against the far wall of the place. His head snaps up from where his eyes were examining his fingers and he stares at the back of Zayn’s head while he walks out of the only door to the room. 

“Li coming tonight?” Louis asks, wiping his fingers on his jeans even though he knows it won’t help because the damn stuff has already dried to his skin. 

“Do you even have to ask that question?” Zayn scoffs, chuckling a little bit and shaking his head at his best friend. 

They head down the hallway, passed all of the other studios in the art building annex, and through the doors that lead into the art building itself. Louis could navigate the place with his eyes closed because of how many long days and nights he’s spent in there with Zayn. 

“Where we going, mate?” Louis asks, puzzled, because once they stepped out of the art building and walked two blocks West, Zayn hailed a cab. 

“Jake’s,” he shrugs. 

Bloody Hell, Jake’s Place, Louis sighs. It’s not that he hates the place, he just… _ hates _ the place. It’s where all of the artsy people hang out. Don’t get him wrong, he’s not judging them, his best friend is one of them after all. He just cannot ever carry on a civilized conversation with anyone who hangs out there because Louis is not artistically educated. Van Gogh, who?

“I heard that,” Zayn glares at him once they’ve both slid into the cab and Louis has slammed the door shut. 

“We always go to Jake’s, can’t we go somewhere else? Somewhere new?” Louis whines like a child. 

“We don’t always go to Jake’s. You picked last time, so I pick this time and we are going to Jake’s. Besides, Liam is already there and he has a table.” 

“Not a big deal, anyone can get a table in that place.”

Zayn pockets his phone and turns to glare at the brooding boy beside him. Louis doesn’t know what he’d do if it weren’t for Zayn. He’s like his second mum sometimes, but he keeps Louis on track; much like his own mum would if she were there. 

Louis sighs again, “Fine, let’s go to Jake’s.”

“Not like you had a choice,” Louis could practically feel the smirk coming from Zayn’s face. 

Silence pranced its way throughout the taxi cab on the drive to the pub, except for the countless mainstream pop songs playing on the radio. It’s like the cabs are always stuck on the same station, one Louis definitely does not listen to in his own free time, yet he still finds himself humming a melody from one of the songs at least twice a week; sometimes, even more. 

“Finally,” Louis says while he climbs out of the cab and Zayn forks over a few bills for their fare. It’s the rule. Whenever they go out, whoever decided on the destination is required to pay for any transportation fees, unless they take the tube. 

Louis always, always, always makes sure they take the tube. He’s a bit stingy. Plus, the only money he ever has left over at the end of the week, goes to his tab on Friday night. 

Music filters out onto the street when someone from inside the pub opens the door to leave. Thankfully, at least for Louis’ sake, the music coming from inside is not something similar to what the cabs are always playing. However, it still isn’t Louis’ cup of tea, but the tracks are usually somewhat bearable. 

“There’s Li,” Zayn practically shoves Louis towards the table Liam is currently sitting at. When a few heavily inebriated patrons part ways for the two boys to push through, another figure catches Louis’ eye. He’s also at the table with Liam. 

And he’s gorgeous. 

“Who’s that?” Louis stops dead in his tracks causing Zayn to crash into him. 

“Seriously?!” 

Louis can’t help but laugh a little at his best friend’s immediate anger. Zayn absolutely hates it when Louis embarrasses him out in public. The smallest of things embarrass the shit out of the poor boy and sometimes Louis uses it to his advantage. This time it was just an accident, but hilarious all the same. 

“Is someone pissed I almost made them fall flat on their face in front of their boyfriend?” Louis huffs out a bit of a laugh, but it’s concealed enough to not draw attention from the other two boys sitting at their table just a couple of feet away. 

“That’s Harry. Fuck off. Let’s go.”

“Oi, mum. Chill out a bit, yeah?” Louis’ accent coming out thick, which usually makes Zayn crack somewhat of a smile. There’s just something about the way Louis elaborates on every word, syllable, and pronunciation that sends waves of happiness through Zayn. Sometimes Louis thinks he only feels that way because it reminds him of home. 

“Go, please?”

Louis throws his hands up in surrender and takes off towards the table, a not so angry Zayn just a couple of steps behind him. 

When they reach the table, Louis stands by himself across from Liam and Harry, while Zayn maneuvers his way around Harry to reach his boyfriend and give him a kiss. Louis tries to muster a smile from seeing his best friend so happy, but the little voice in his head keeps telling him not to feel that way because he doesn’t feel what they feel. Yes, Louis is a bit jealous. 

“Lou,” Liam gives him a nod. Louis knows what is next and he’s so ready for it. Being that Harry is currently sat inside Jake’s, he must be some kind of art fanatic, which typically turns Louis off. However, Harry is stunning and ‘one night stand’ keeps scrolling through his thoughts every time he sneaks a glance at the curly headed boy. 

There’s no denying there’s a sexual connection between them from the way Harry keeps looking at Louis too. It makes him feel like he’s Harry’s favorite food and he’s about to be devoured on the spot. 

“Louis, this is Harry,” Zayn gestures from boy to boy.

Harry sticks a hand out to shake Louis’. What a gentlemen. Louis meets him halfway, but his nerves have gotten the best of him and he somehow manages to knock over a glass half full of some kind of drink. He knows it must be sweet due to its pretty pink color, so he hopes it stays far away from spilling on Harry because it will definitely result in a sticky mess. 

That doesn’t happen.

“Oops! I’m so sorry, mate. Here let me-,” Louis darts to the bar and demands a handful of towels to clean up his mess. When he gets back he realizes Harry is wearing white skinny jeans. White skinny jeans that now look like they were washed with an article of red clothing on accident. 

Harry still hasn’t said anything since Louis arrived at the table and he doesn’t think he’ll ever say anything now because of the accident he’s caused. Liam is too busy hiding his laughter to help and Zayn is just staring at Louis. He knows Zayn is internally rolling his eyes at him right now, making his cheeks flare up in embarrassment. 

Louis is so caught up in not embarrassing himself any further that he doesn’t realize what he’s doing is completely unacceptable until he pauses to look at Zayn and someone clears their voice beside him. That marks his cue to look down at his hand full of paper towels that may or may not be resting on top of Harry’s crotch. (They are definitely resting on his crotch.)

“Hi,” Harry says once Louis looks up at him and removes his hand from his groin. 

“I am so sorry, Harry. Let me give you something to pay for the dry cleaning.” Louis drops the soiled towels on the pub table and pulls out his wallet from his back pocket. 

“I don’t think the cleaners can manage this one, love. It’s alright, swear.” Harry reassures him. How is he so cool, calm, and collected right now when Louis literally drenched his crotch in some fruity alcoholic drink and preceded to feel him up in the process? 

“At least let me go down the street and fetch you a new pair of trousers so you don’t have to sit in those.” Louis puts his wallet back in his pocket and gives Harry the most forgiving set of eyes he can conjure up. 

Harry simply shakes his head and stands up to inspect the mess left on his clothes before excusing himself to the restroom. Part of Louis wants to follow him to keep apologizing and offering to reimburse his new acquaintance, but he's already fucked up so much he doesn't want to risk doing something else. Louis finally takes his seat at their table, crossing his arms on the tabletop and letting his head rest face down on his limbs. 

"I've fucked up," he mumbles into his arms.  

"Just a little," he hears Liam say followed by an "ow." Zayn must have smacked him. 

"He probably hates me," Louis whines. He isn't used to people disliking him and even though Harry was super nice about the whole accident, deep down Louis knows he's probably pissed. 

"I don't hate you," Harry chimes in. "I think you're quite charming, actually." Louis' heart does a couple of somersaults in his chest. His head pops up after that compliment.

Louis can see Zayn smiling out of the corner of his eye, but that doesn't matter right now. What matters is that Harry just complimented him and doesn't hate him for ruining his trousers. 

"You sure you don't want me to go fetch you something else to wear, mate?"

"I'm fine. I thought about just taking them off and chillin' out in my pants, but I think that would disturb a few people." Harry jokes. Is he flirting? Louis is practically dying. He can feel how red his face is getting. His palms are sweaty and he's literally at a loss for words. That doesn't happen often for someone like Louis. His trap is always running. 

When Louis' brain does formulate actual words, he's mentally smacking himself for them after they come out of his mouth, "I wouldn't mind." Because, for fucks sake he doesn't even know if Harry was flirting and now Louis IS flirting and this night is just going so swell...

"Thanks, love," Harry winks, then raises his hand in the air to catch a waitresses attention, giving Louis a few much needed seconds to go over everything that just happened in the past couple of minutes. 

He hasn't felt this way about someone in a long time and he's not even sure how he feels at this exact moment. He can't tell if Harry is flirting with him because it's so easy to see that he is just a genuinely nice guy so it could just be his personality. But, Louis is smitten anyway and even if Harry isn't flirting with him, he sure is enjoying his company and nothing else is going to ruin that for him tonight. 

"Louis, what are you drinking tonight?"

He snaps out of his own thoughts to answer Harry, "Jack and Coke, please."

"Just put it on my tab," Harry tells the waitress. He gives her a smile, sending her on her way.

Louis frowns at Harry. His tab? After everything Louis has done tonight, Harry has the audacity to pay for his drink. 

"My treat." Harry smiles at him, but Louis keeps frowning. 

"The first round is about to start," Liam says, catching Louis' attention. In the midst of all his Harry drama, he'd forgotten there were two other people sitting at their table. 

"First round?" Louis asks, confused out of his mind. 

He looks around the pub and realizes that a lot of people have migrated to the bar and every seat in the house is filled. Each table has exactly four people at them and there's a women walking around to each one handing out pencils and pads of paper. 

"It's trivia night," Harry and Zayn say in unison, warranting a fist bump between the boys. 

"Oh, for fuck's sake," Louis tosses his hands into the air right when the waitress stops at their table to distribute their trivia supplies. 

"What's the matter?" Harry looks to Zayn for an answer. He obliges. 

"Lou is shit at trivia," Zayn snorts. He's right, but he could have been a lot nicer about it. Louis makes a mental note to kick his best friend in the shin later on. Twice. Once for bringing Louis to Jake's Place and once for knowingly bringing Louis to Jake's Place when he knew it was trivia night. 

The other waitress who fetched their drinks finally shows up just a few seconds after the host announces the rules. No one is allowed to yell out answers that is not playing the game or is playing the game. Answers must be written on each teams notepad next to their respective numbers. You have one full minute to discuss the answer with your team before the host proceeds to the next question. The correct answer will not be announced after each question has been answered by all teams; however, they will be tallied at the end of each round and the total score at the end of the last round will determine the winning team. You are forbidden to use outside sources and if any team is caught with their mobile on their table they will be disqualified immediately. 

Louis groans internally after the rules have been read aloud; he practically downs his whole beverage when it arrives, but stops himself half way through so Harry doesn't get the idea that his new acquaintance is an alcoholic. He's just nervous. He's shit at trivia questions and doesn't want to let his team down. He contemplates faking an illness to get out of the whole thing, but if he leaves now his team will be disqualified and that will surely ruin the entire night. He decides to keep quiet and not confer with the group, hoping no one will notice the absence of his help. 

It is noticeable though, because Louis is known for not knowing when to shut up and his best friend notices after the third question that he's unusually quiet. 

"You have to help, mate." Zayn glares at Louis. Harry glances up from their answer pad to look at Louis for a few seconds, a smirk forming on his lips. 

"The rules do not state that a team will be disqualified if one of their team members does not actively participate," Louis states rather formally, like he's trying to make the situation seem okay, when it's not okay. He knows Zayn just wants him to participate so it doesn't cause any awkward feelings between them all. Louis is sticking out like a sore thumb at the table because of his lack of help. It's making the others feel like he isn't having any fun (even though he kind of isn't).

Zayn just shakes his head and turns his attention back to the front of the pub where the host is patiently waiting for the remainder of sixty seconds to end.

" _ Lou..."  _ Liam chimes in. Great, now the boyfriend is going to make him feel even worse for partially upsetting Zayn. "Just try, okay? It won't hurt anything. Even if we all know the right answer and you swear it's something else, we won't be pissed at you for trying." 

Sometimes Liam's heart is evident behind his motives, but his words come out wrong. This is one of those times where that happens and Louis doesn't feel any better about the situation at hand. 

"Cheers, Li. That makes me feel much more confident." Louis raises his almost empty glass in the air, knowing that Liam isn't going to cling his glass with his because of the very apparent sarcasm radiating off of Louis' last words. 

But, Louis tries. He doesn’t know what the correct term for an extra full moon in a calendar year is called. He doesn’t know what color Spongebob’s tie is. He doesn’t know how many kids Brad and Angelina have. And he definitely doesn’t know the names of the two youngest Kardashian sisters. But, he tries. The mood of the group picks up a little bit, he can tell, and that’s all that really matters in the end. He doesn’t want his friends thinking he’s a buzz kill, so he does it for them.

 

“This is the last question of the last round,” the host announces, “please jot down your answer and give your answer pad to the waitress in green that is walking around the pub. Thank you for playing and we will announce the winning team in about twenty minutes.The last question is, what state is the band, The Fray, from?”

Colorado.

The answer is Colorado! 

“Colorado.”

“Louis, Liam is positive it’s Minnesota.” Zayn tries to reassure him. Louis knows this answer though. The Fray is his absolute favorite band and he knows this. 

“Boys, it’s Colorado. Swear. I know this band like the back of my hand.” Louis attempts to persuade them all. He can tell they aren’t budging. He’s gotten a different answer for every question prior and he just knows they all think he’s wrong this time.

“I’m going to have to go with Liam on this one.” Zayn shrugs. He’s only going with Liam because he doesn’t know the answer and Li is his boyfriend. Louis can’t blame him though, Liam has this confidence about him that makes him seem right about everything he says. Except this time. Louis knows he’s wrong this time. 

“I’m not writing down the answer until everyone agrees that it’s Colorado,” Harry butts in, causing everyone else at the table to whip their heads around at their curly headed new friend.

Louis’ jaw practically hits the floor. He doesn’t even acknowledge the waitress who has brought him his fourth mixed drink, because he’s too busy thinking about how wonderful Harry is. It’s so obvious how nice of a person he is, but when he shows his kindness, it feels like one of those nights when all of the stars are visible in the sky. 

“You’re sure?” Liam questions. 

“You heard me.”

Liam nods his head once, “We can miss one question, right boys?” Liam laughs. Louis’ eyes shoot daggers at his best friends boyfriend and Zayn gives him a little shove to try and make his boyfriend behave. 

“Right then, is that how it’s spelled?” Harry slides the pad across the table for Louis to admire. Once he’s sure it’s spelled correctly they raise their answer pad in the air for the waitress to pick up. 

Louis takes a sip of his drink, remembering that he needs to thank their waitress since he was so preoccupied when she dropped it off. He also realizes that he’s been getting drinks on Harry’s tab all night long and decides to pull out his wallet to conjure up how much he thinks he owes his new friend.


End file.
